Tabulators for machines for making printing plates



y 12, 1959 w. WELLS TABULATORS FOR MACHINES F OR MAKING PRINTING PLATESFiled Aug. 7, 195a 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W M BY 2 Ma 12, 1959 w. WELLS 2,886,163

' TABULATORS FOR MACHINES FOR MAKING v PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 7,1956 v sshe ts-sneev May 12, 1959 w. WELLS 2,886,163

- TABULATORS FOR MACHINES FOR MAKING iRIN'IING PLATES Filed Aug. 7, 19565 Sheets-Sheet a JOHN 005 7-17-55 7-5-42 I6 FIRST/W IOU-00 24 40 MAINCITY 30 DA.

n I I! INVENTOR. Wm M United States Patent TABULATORS FOR MACHINES FORMAKING PRINTING PLATES Ward Wells, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Ward M.Wells, Oakland, Calif.

Application August 7, 1956, Serial No. 602,607

6 Claims. (Cl. 197-176) This invention relates to improvements in typeembossing machines which emboss printing characters in relatively thinsheet metal, such as the machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,518,904,issued December 9, 1924, and Patent No. 1,831,103, issued November 10,1931, to I. S. Duncan, and provides tabulating means which can beincorporated in the machine or supplied as an attachment, and which,with slight modifications can be adapted to other machines of a similarnature, making it unnecessary to space for a different setting in viewof the tabulator stops which can be adjusted to any desired positionsand requiring the mere touch of the tabulator key for setting thecarriage at the desired position, thus increasing output and avoidingmisaligned type.

The conventional machines to which this invention applies are providedwith punches and dies which form the letters in the metal plate, withthe die head being controlled by a keyboard similar to that of atypewriter, yet, so far as known, none have a tabulator or tabulatorkey, the positioning of the carriage being controlled entirely by thekeyboard and spacer bar.

In most cases there are at least two columns or alignments on theprinting plate, including possibly the name and address, with a secondalignment including possibly an account number or identification, and tomove the carriage and plate from one point to another it is necessary tooperate the spacer bar and watch the carriage for the desired setting,while with my improvement, such operation is unnecessary as thetabulator will release, then stop the carriage at the desired position.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide tabulating means for a keyboard type printing platemaking machine.

Second, to provide means as outlined in the form of an attachment forapplication to existing keyboard type printing plate making machines.

Third, to provide tabulating means as outlined with a plurality ofadjustable tabulator stops.

Fourth, to provide tabulating means as outlined with a tabulator keyincorporated in the keyboard or adjacent thereto for directaccessibility.

Fifth, to provide tabulating means as outlined which iselectro-mechanically operated for instant response to a touch of thetabulator key.

Sixth, to provide tabulating means as outlined which is of the simplestpossible construction, easily installed, and economical to manufacture.

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

i Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the carriage rail and carriage of aprinting plate making machine, with portions of the inventionincorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the electro-magnetic operating means forthe tabulator.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of Fig. 3.

spring 41.

2,886,163 Patented Mary 12, 1959 Fig. 5 is a side elevation of thetabulator button an switch.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the tabulator. I

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the keyboard shown in dotted lineswith the tabulator key shown in solid lines.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the rear of the printing plate makingmachine with the tabulator attachment mounted thereon.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modification of the invention illustrating amechanical arrangement for operation.

Fig. 10 illustrates the purpose of the tabulator as applied to aprinting plate.

Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the stop.

The printing plate making machine includes a housing 11 the rear ofwhich is shown in Fig. 8, and the front of which includes a keyboard 12and a space bar 13 similar to that of a conventional typewriter, and acarriage rail 14 which is also mounted on the front in a position abovethe keyboard.

A carriage 15 is mounted on this rail and travels and is guided by therollers 16, 17, 18 and 19, and is provided with a pointer 20 whichtravels with the carriage to indicate the position on the plate wherethe next impression will be formed in the plate, this being the membernow used for tabulating, the carriage being spaced by the spacer baruntil the pointer 20 registers with the desired point on the scale 21.

The carriage includes an escapement pawl 22 which is operated by thespace shaft 23 through depression of the space bar as also by depressionof any of the keys 12, the carriage moving to the right one space eachtime a key or the space bar is depressed, the carriage being urged bythe tape 24 which is drawn into the spring drum 25. The carriage alsohas the finger grip release 26 through the medium of which the carriagecan be manually shifted to any desired position.

The machine also includes the dies and punches 27 and 28 which form thecharacters in the plates, and, there is ample clearance between the diesand punches and the frame of the housing for passage of the operatingshaft 29 and its sleeve bearing 30 through to the front of the machineand which terminate in proximity to the carriage rail as indicated at 31in Fig. 2.

In the preferred form, the invention consists of a bracket 32 the upperend of which is fixed to a boss 33 which is an integral part of thehousing, as by screws 34, providing a rigid mounting for the bracket.Fixed to this bracket as indicated at 35 is the bearing sleeve 30 andwhich extends substantially through to the front of the machine so as torequire no bearing to be mounted at the front of the machine for supportas the bearing sleeve has ample rigidity, the operating shaft extendingthrough this bearing sleeve and having a crank 36 fixed to the front endfor control of the carriage escapement and operation of the tabulatormechanism. A crank is fixed on the rear end of this shaft and isillustrated as consisting of a disc 37 which is fixed on the end of theshaft with the crank arm fixed to the disc as indicated at 39. A stop isfixed in the bracket as indicated at 40 to limit upward travel of thecrank arm, and a spring 41 urges the crank arm against this stop.

The solenoid 42 is mounted on the lower end of the bracket 32 with itscore 43 connected to the crank arm 38 through the link 44 as indicatedat 45 and 46. The solenoid is connected in the electrical circuit of themachine by the leads 47 and 48 with intervening switch and thence lead50 through depression of the tabulator key 51, energization of thesolenoid causing the core to retract the crank arm 38 against theurgence of the The crank 36 on the front end of the shaft 29 is providedwith a crossbar forming opposed levers 52 and 53. A lever arm 54 isfixed on the space shaft 23 as indicated at 55 and cooperates with thelever 52.

A bearing 56 is mounted on the underside of the carriage rail, and atabulator shaft 57 is rotatable therein and projects therefrom in adirection toward the space shaft, and this extension is provided with aplurality of tabulator stops 58, 59, for adjustment axially throughoutthe length of the space rack 60 whereby the tabulator stops can be setto any desired positions for cooperation with the tabulator engagingmember 61 which is mounted on the underside of the carriage as indicatedat 62.

7 A crank arm 63 is fixed on the end of the tabulator shaft oppositethat of the extension 64 and projects rearwardly and has an operativeconnection 65 with the lever 53, and a spring 66 urges the shaft toretain the tabulator stops in engaging relation to the stop engagingmember 61.

A cross-sectional view through one of the tabulator stops is illustratedon an enlarged scale in Fig. 11, the shaft extension 64 having teeth 67formed chordially in the periphery on one side and throughout a lengthcorresponding to that of the rack 60, and the shaft is also providedwith graduations 68 for convenience in setting the stops, and whichgraduations correspond with the graduations 21.

The shaft bore 69 is elongated to substantially oval shape, and apressure block 70 fits diametrically in this bore and cooperates withthe periphery of the shaft. This pressure block is provided with a stem71 which fitg slid ably in a bore 72 and is backed by a compressionspring 73 which in turn is backed by a plug 74, and a key 75 is fixed inthe rearward end of the stop to function as a tooth to engage in theteeth 67 formed in the periphery of the shaft.

Thus, to set the tabulator stops in any desired position on theextension it is merely necessary to press the stop rearwardly todisengage the tooth 75 from the teeth 67, slide the stop to the desiredposition and release. The spring will cause engagement of the tooth ofthe stop between the teeth on the shaft, locking the stop in positionand preventing rotation on the shaft.

The operation of the invention can be carried out by other means, suchas the mechanical type shown in Fig. 9, in which the tabulator key 51has connection 76 with a bellcrank lever 77 and which maintains the keyin an upwardly projected position through the medium of the spring 78,this bellcrank lever being connected to a lever 79 through theconnection 80, the lever 79 being fixed on a shaft 81 on which is fixedanother lever 82 which has connection 83 with a lever 84 on thetabulator actuating shaft 29.

Operation of the tabulator is as follows: The tabulator stops are firstset to the desired positions, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 10,two tabulator stops would be used, so that one may be set for theeleventh space indicated at 11, and the other at the 19th spaceindicated at "19 to form the three columns illustrated. This operationis carried out on the front of the machine, directly accessible from thekeyboard.

After the first line of the first column has been completed, thetabulator key 51 is depressed, closing the circuit to the solenoid whichbecomes energized, drawing the core down and turning the shaft 29 withthe arm 53 swinging downward and through the connection 65 releasing thetabulator shaft 57 for rotation in a direction as urged by the spring 66for moving the stops '8 and 59 to engaging position for cooperation withthe engaging element 61, lever 52 simultaneously raising lever 54 fordisengaging the escapement 22 from the space rack 60, freeing thecarriage which through the urgence of the spring drum 25 and tapeconnection 24 is drawn to the right until the engaging element 61engages the first stop 58.

Upon release of the tabulator key 51, the switch 85 breaks the circuitto the solenoid, the escapement re- ,4 engages the rack, and thetabulator stops are drawn out of engaging relation to the engagingelement 61 through the connection 65.

After the first line in the second column is completed, the tabulatorkey is again depressed, causing the carriage to be again freed to engagethe tabulator stop 59, and after releasing the tabulator key, the firstline of the third column can be completed in the conventional manner.

It will be understood that this invention can be applied as anattachment to existing machines, or built in as an integral part of newmachines, and can readily be operated by means other than a solenoid.

I claim:

1. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriagemounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction ofsaid carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapementengageble with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulatingmeans comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracketand having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative tothe length of said space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on saidcarriage cooperative with said stops, and electro-magnetic means and acircuit therefor controlled by said tabulator key for rotatablyoperating said shaft for arcuately moving said stops in engagingrelation to said engaging means and releasing said escapement formovement of said carriage to one of said stops, with release of thetabulator key creating engagement of said escapement with said rack andarcuately retracting said stops for conventional operation of themachine.

2. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriagemounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction ofsaid carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapementengageable with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulatingmeans comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracketand having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative tothe length of said space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on saidcarriage cooperative with said stops, and means actuated by saidtabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately movingsaid stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasingsaid escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, withrelease of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement withsaid rack and arcuately retracting said stops forconventional operationof the machine, said shaft being rotatably mounted in a plane below saidcarriage and including resilient means for rotating said shaft foradvancing said stops to engaging position, said means actuated by saidtabulator key including a lever having a flexible connection to saidshaft for retracting said shaft rotatably against the urgence of saidresilient means for retracting said stops from engaging position.

3. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriagemounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction ofsaid carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapementengageable with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulatingmeans comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracketand having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative tothe length of said. space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on saidcarriage cooperative with said stops, and means actuated by saidtabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately movingsaid stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasingsaid escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, withrelease of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement withsaid rack and arcuately retracting said stops for conventional operationof the machine, said means actuated by said tabulator key comprising anelectromagnet controlled by said tabulator key and having an operativeconnection with said shaft for movement to engaging position for saidengaging means and for disengaging said escapement, with said escapementand stops being released upon release of said key for returnrespectively to engagement with said rack and retraction from saidengaging means for normal operation of said machine.

4. In a printing plate making machine having a carriage rail, a carriagemounted for travel along said carriage rail, means urging retraction ofsaid carriage, a space rack on said carriage, and an escapementengageable with said space rack and mounted on said rail, tabulatingmeans comprising, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted on said bracketand having a plurality of tabulator stops adjustable thereon relative tothe length of said space rack, a tabulator key, engaging means on saidcarriage cooperative with said stops, and means actuated by saidtabulator key for rotatably operating said shaft for arcuately movingsaid stops in engaging relation to said engaging means and releasingsaid escapement for movement of said carriage to one of said stops, withrelease of the tabulator key creating engagement of said escapement withsaid rack and arcuately retracting said stops for conventional operationof the machine, said shaft being rotatably mounted on said rail in aplane below said carriage, a spring urging rotation of said shaft in onedirection to retract said stops, a solenoid and a circuit therefor andincluding a switch controlled by said tabu lator key, a shaft actuatedby said solenoid and including a two-armed lever with one arm having aflexible connection with said shaft for release for control by saidspring for moving said stops into engaging relation, and for retractionagainst the urgence of said spring for retracting said stops fromengaging relation with said engaging means, with the other arm of saidtwo-armed lever releasing said escapement from said rack and havingoperative engagement with said escapement, release of said tabulator keyreleasing said escapement for engagement with said rack and retractionof said shaft for retraction of said stops from engaging relation withsaid engaging means.

5. In a printing plate making machine having a keyboard, a carriage, acarriage rail with said carriage mounted thereon for travel therealongand including a spring drum having connection with said carriage forretraction, a space rack on said carriage, an escapement on said railand cooperative with said rack, and a space shaft having operativeconnection with said escapement for spacing the carriage throughoperation of the keys of the keyboard, tabulating means comprising, atabulator key for said keyboard, a bracket, a shaft rotatably mounted onsaid bracket in a plane below the underside of said carriage and havinga plurality of tabulator stops mounted for adjustment therealong andincluding means securing said stops in adjusted positions, and meanscontrolled by said tabulator key and having operative connections withsaid shaft and with said space shaft for moving said stops to engagingposition with said carriage, and releasing said escapement from saidrack for free travel of the carriage to engagement with one of saidstops, release of the tabulator key actuating said operative connectionsfor reengagement of said escapement and retraction of said stops fornormal operation of said machine, said means controlled by saidtabulator key comprising a solenoid and a circuit therefor and a switchcontrolled by said tabulator key, said shaft being spring urged for theengaging position of said stops with said operative connections having aflexible connection with said shaft and a connection with saidescapement.

6. In a printing plate making machine having a keyboard including aspace bar, a carriage rail, a carriage movable along said rail andsupported thereby and including means for retracting said carriage alongsaid rail, a space rack on said carriage, an escapement carried by saidrail and cooperative with said space rack and controlled by said spacebar and by the keys of said keyboard, tabulating means comprising, abracket and means for attaching said bracket to said machine, a shaftrotatably mounted on said bracket, a plurality of tabulator stopsmounted on said shaft for adjustment in parallel relation to said rail,engaging means on said carriage for cooperation with said stops, atabulator key mounted in directly accessible relation to said keyboard,and operative connections from said tabulator key to said shaft andincluding a solenoid and control means therefor controlled by saidtabulator key for arcuately moving said tabulator stops into engagingposition for said engaging means and releasing said escapement from saidrack When said tabulator key is depressed, and for re-engaging saidescapement with said space rack, and retracting said stops fromengagement with said engaging means for normal operation of saidmachine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS543,111 Sipro July 23, 1895

